The Charter System and Field Sizes - What's the Problem?

When it comes to 2016 other than the Daytona 500, the field sizes have been under 40. True we have only raced two races (Daytona and Atlanta) but some fans are rising concerns on to why the field sizes are smaller. In some cases this is a bad thing and in others it is a good thing. Field size just consists of how many drivers have a chance to win or as some put it, half can win while the others are just field fillers which isn't incredibly wrong. Below I will state my opinion on why smaller field sizes are good and why they also can be a bad thing when it comes to a certain NASCAR charter system along with an explanation on why field sizes are smaller.
When it comes to the good you have to admit the racing has been the best it has been in a while. A photo finish at Daytona and a rather good race filled Atlanta. With two races in the books we have also added two story lines with wins. Denny Hamlin finally won the Daytona 500 and Jimmie Johnson finally reached the mark where many fans consider him a legend after tying Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s mark on the wins collum. When the racing is good fans don't tend to look at the field sizes until Tuesday when the entry lists are released and trust me as a fan you see 39 cars in the field you think well something is not right here and then you begin to question. When you look at the last two races (points paying because the sprint unlimited and Duels were wreck fests) wrecks have been at a minimal and if there is one it collects 1 to 2 cars at max. Yes we
had a big one at the end of Atlanta but that stage of the race is where you push to gain every spot possible. A lack of wrecks is a problem for some fans while other enjoy seeing more racing. Fans complained Sunday about the lack of cautions and well that's where the new NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Caution Clock comes in. It tightens the field up and really gives every driver that equal playing field that fans commonly ask for. The smaller fields are good because more cars finish the race in one piece. We have less wrecks and as I said if their is a wreck it involves 2 cars max. Plus we see better racing on the track with the new Aero Package.
Where this is a problem is the fact that the new charter system was only handed down to a select few teams and well those teams are viewing the charter like it's not as important as it was made out to be and then the value of the charters go down and then the purpose of it is blown away. This is a bad thing at a business stand point but really the RTA did it to themselves. They can't point fingers at anyone but themselves with smaller field sizes because they cut teams in half. For example you have the newly formed Circle Sport Leavine Family Racing who used to field two separate entries one Ford and one Chevy. With the new charter system the teams merged to create one team with just one car instead of two. That's where the field sizes are shrinking and it was something I expected to see when the season began. The only reason Daytona was a packed field was
because of the fact teams entered second, third and fourth cars with drivers. Those numbers consisted of the #59  (Circle Sport Leavine Family Racing) of Michael McDowell who now splits the #95 with Ty Dillon. #26 (Robert Richardson Jr.) and #93 (Matt DiBenedetto) of the BK Racing Stable. DiBenedetto now races the #83 just like he did in 2015. Along with David Gilliland who entered with a 3rd car for Front Row Motorsports and Josh Wise who made last weekend's race in Atlanta in the #30 TMG Racing Car. The fans were all complaining about the Wood Brothers not getting the charter? Well The New Kid on The Block Ryan Blaney has shown No Charter,No Problem! Making the last 2 races by Speed and finishing ahead of many Ford Teams with Charters. With these drivers like Wise and Blaney doing so well without a charter some teams could view a charter as a wast of money if they are putting in any money and it could lead to an early demise of the Charter System. We will have to see how things pan out in the next few races but I don't see anything changing anytime soon. Please read the below on the explanation about why less cars are on the entry list!

Less Cars? Why (Explanation)

In 2015 teams like Circle Sport Racing, Leavine Family Racing were individual teams with 1 car each. Now that both teams merged only one car gets entered which leaves one empty spot. 
Teams like Front Row Motorsports and BK Racing downgraded, leaving both teams with only 2 entries. There is 2 spots left empty like the above. 
Also Premium Motorsports ran 2 cars in 2015 (#62 and #98) Now they only run the #98 with the #62 Charter being leased to HScott Motorsports #46
If you added all of those eliminated rides from 2015 that's a total of 4 cars. 39 which is the current field + 4 which is the eliminated rides is a total of 43 cars. 
The RTA eliminated these rides with the Charter. That's why field sizes are smaller.

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